Opportunity for Every Young Person

The Challenge

Lack of Higher Education Perpetuates Poverty

A college degree is essential for economic mobility of poor families. To-date 76% of Philippine employers are still not open to hiring non-college degree holders (Jobstreet.com, 2018). Many underprivileged youths who cannot afford to start or finish their college degree, drift into informal work or simply remain unemployed.

The Philippines’ College Financing Problem

On average, a Filipino student needs at least Php 60,000 annually for school tuition and stipend. For low-income and poor families who have an annual household income between Php 0 to Php 190,000, college is a difficult feat (Philippine Statistics Authority). Additionally, since the lower class are unbanked and lack credit history, 95.6% of borrowers in the Philippines are not able to get student loans from banks (BSP, 2015).

Two Women Engineers. One Dream.

InvestEd is an award-winning social enterprise led by two women-engineers, who dream of changing the game for underprivileged students. Back in college, they witnessed many of their peers drop out due to financial difficulties. They thought, how come in developing countries such as the Philippines, inclusive and sustainable student loan programs for the poor do not exist? It was with that curious thought that they started venturing into a business that would help underprivileged college students in a systemic scale. That is how InvestEd was born.

Our 2023 Vision: Slash the Philippines’ College Dropout Rate by Half

InvestEd empowers underprivileged and unbanked youth finish their college degree worry-free, through an investment platform for student loans. Our 2023 vision is to be the country’s leader in education financing by slashing the country’s college dropout rate by half.

Our Investee Success Platform

In the Philippines, 22% of unemployed youth are college graduates (Philippine Statistics Authority, 2018). InvestEd is addressing this education-to-employment problem, through the InvestEd Success Platform- a high-tech training and coaching program for marginalized college students. The platform provides students from low-income and poor families training and coaching on employment, career development and financial literacy.

Mirte Gosker

What I personally really like at InvestEd, is that it was started by two young women. There is still a huge gap in gender equality in the world and men are overrepresented in governments, boards and also amongst startup founders. I’ve come across many courageous Filipino women and truly admire their strength. I’m looking forward to see Carmina and Melissa succeed in their cause and become role-models for women across the world to fix those things that need fixing.

Vanderes Foundation

Executive Director

Renato N. Duenas Jr.

I was really impressed with InvestEd. Although it’s only a two-year-old company, it has already helped so many students and families escape poverty.

Philippine Consulate General — Dubai, UAE

Deputy Consul General

Lea Co

We feel blessed that InvestEd was created. It is one of the avenues to extend our assistance to those who dream of having a chance to improve their future.

Manly Plastics Inc.

HRM Division Head

41.88% of our Investees are the first in their family to attend college

42%

Male

58%

Female

11% poor

77% low-income

12% middle-income

26% had previously dropped out due to financial problems

25% got loans from predatory lenders before InvestEd

27.5 days average job placement rate of our graduated Investees. Much faster than the national average of 130 days

24% to 320% increase in household income for our graduated students

67% of our graduates have above national median salary for their first job